


I've Got You

by Dashboardjuliet (orphan_account)



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Neighbors, Gen, and it goes both ways, listen allura has a major crush on shiro
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-21
Updated: 2016-07-28
Packaged: 2018-07-25 22:01:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,745
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7548748
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/Dashboardjuliet
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Allura, princess, waitress, and babysitter, lives on her own in a single bedroom apartment in New York City.  Shiro and his adopted brother are her neighbors.  In the mornings, she works, and in the afternoons she watches Keith, Lance, Hunk and Pidge, and somehow she manages to fall in love with the man at the center of it all.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Listen I really like mom Allura and dad Shiro so here we go. This is 100% au so ask me about details and all that jazz because I've got it mapped out...kinda. Also 100% not beta'd so if there are any Shirt's or Allure's mixed in, it's my laptops fault not mine. Hope you all enjoy!

     Allura is just like every other princess that abandons luxury to try and live an independent lifestyle away from the confines of royalty.  She puts her pants on one leg at a time, leaves dishes in the sink for over two days, sometimes, and works as a waitress at the local diner to earn money that she doesn't really need.  She's just a normal girl trying to make it in the real world just like every other person.  Except for one thing.

     Across the hall of her apartment building lives the most attractive man she has ever met, and his equally adorable brother and his three friends.  They have sucked her in, heart and soul, and she is in love with them all, hopelessly.

* * *

 

     Taking the morning shift at the diner means she has to get up early, 5 o'clock early to be exact.  It leaves her exhausted and achy, but she gets out early so she is able to work her second job, one that she is honored to be able to do: babysit for Shiro.  It's what gets her through the long, sometimes frustrating, shifts at the diner.  She would gladly sacrifice a little sleep and deal with the tiredness in her bones if it meant being able to spend time with the kids.

     Unlocking the door to her small apartment, Allura steps through the doorway, her hair in disarray and uniform stained with a shifts worth of who knows what.  Her bed calls her name and it's tempting, but a glance at the clock that hangs in her hallway silences any urge she has to answer the call.  12:50 and Shiro leaves from work at 1.

     She springs into a mad dash, shucking off her dress as fast as she can manage, dropping it onto the floor as soon as she gets it off.  Picking up a floral jumper from the corner of he bed, Allura deems it clean enough and steps into it, inching it up to her waist then sticking her arms through the stars and sliding them up her arms.  A quick glance in her hanging mirror shows that her makeup from the morning has, in fact, made it through the day.  With a quick nod to herself, Allura makes her way back to the entry way of her apartment and steps out, locking the door behind her.

     Standing outside her neighbors door, she can already hear the barrage of voices from the other side.  They all bring a smile to her face as she knocks on the door.   Their voices go silent for a moment, only to be interrupted by one loud shout of "Allura's here!"  The door swings open, surprising her enough to take a step backwards.  Lance is holding the door open with one hand, the other resting on his hip.  In the background she can see Keith and Hunk staring at the tv in the shared living and kitchen space, with Pidge out of sight but clearly talking.  Turning her attention back to Lance, Allura watches him, confused, but still smiling.

     "Why hello there Allura.  What a surprise to see you here." Lance drawls with a wink.  It takes all the strength Allura can muster to not laugh at the ten year olds attempt to hit on her.

     "I'm here to watch you four, just like every other day." She winks back at him which makes his cheeks go pink.  "Now where's Shiro?  He's normally the one to answer the door." She asks, walking past Lance, ruffling his hair as she does so.

     "We're taking care of him!" Pidge shouts out from the living room.  She joins them in the space, taking a seat next to Pidge on the gray sofa up against the wall, facing the tv where Keith and Hunk are currently engaged in a rousing race of Mario Cart.  She lifts Pidge into her lap just as Lance sits down next to them, and she gives them a big hug.

     "What do you mean 'you're taking care of him'?" Allura asks, straightening out their glasses.

     "He's sick." Keith says.

     "So we're playing doctors and taking care of him!" Pidge chirps in, proudly.

     "We made him soup and told him to stay in bed." Hunk clarifies, eyes still glued to the screen.  Smiling, Allura stands up, placing Pidge back down in the seat she vacated to give Hunk a small kiss on the head.

     "Thank you for giving me a straight answer." She says, and Hunk beams at her.

     "I can give you a straight answer too!" Lance shouts but is silenced by Pidge who slaps his arm to shush him.

     "Keith, you're in charge while I go check on Shiro." The boy nods in response, and as she moves down the side hallway she can hear Lance debating why he wasn't left in charge.

     She passes by pictures of Shiro and Keith, of Keith and Lance and Pidge and Hunk.  She glances over all of them hung perfectly on the white walls before stopping in from of Shiro's door.

     "Shiro, it's Allura," She says, knocking on the door, then pausing for a response.  It doesn't come so she turns the handle and inches the door open.  "I'm coming in, alright?" He doesn't speak to tell her 'don't come in', so she assumes it's alright.  The room is dark, the only sound is the buzzing of a fan.  The blinds that cover the window are pulled down and the door to the bathroom is shut to keep out light.  She steps in softly, closing the door with an equal gentleness behind her.  It takes a minute for her eyes to adjust to the dark, but when they do, she can't help but let out a soft sigh.

     He's laying in the middle of his bed, comforter halfway strewn across the floor and sheets crumpled up on and below him.  It obviously isn't a peaceful sleep, she can tell that much from the condition of his bed.  On his nightstand sits a full bowl of soup the kids must have made for him.  As she walks to the edge of his bed, she lets her fingers dip into the soup.  The liquid is cold so they must have made it early in the day, which means Shiro has probably had nothing to eat or drink all day.

     Allura sits down on the corner of his bed, hand reaching out to rest on his forehead.  Normally she would be blushing like crazy at the simple touch, but at the moment she is only concerned about him, her crush is the farthest thing from her mind.  His skin is cool, not clammy like she would have expected if he had a fever, which makes her feel less worried about him.  As long as she's known Shiro, which although it hasn't been for very long, she has never seen him sick.

    "Shiro?" She whispers, moving her hand from his face to his shoulder to give him a gentle nudge.  She needs a few questions answered, ones that can't be effectively answered truthfully by the kids.

     "He's a light sleeper, Allura notices, because it only takes a few more soft nudges and his name being called again to wake him up.  He rolls over onto his stomach with a groan, burying his face into his pillow.

     "Keith, I said I'm find.  You don't need to call Mrs. Holt to take care of me." His voice is muffled by the pillows.  Her heart aches at the fact that Keith has obviously already suggested getting help for his older brother.

     "I'm afraid you'll be stuck with me as a caretaker for the time being." Allure says.  She can almost picture the wheels turing in his head as a processes the fact that it is not his brother in his room, but her.  His head turns to the side only slightly, exposing one barely opened eye.

     "Allura?" He asks, voice cracking.  She nods in response.

     "At your service," She jokes before her playful tone drops away, "Pidge tell me they're your doctor today because you're sick."

     Shiro huffs as he rolls back over onto his back, dragging his hands down his face.

     "Is that what they said?"

     "I'm afraid so.  They even made you soup but it isn't very warm anymore." She informs him.  He glances at the still full bowl and smiles.

     "How sweet of them." He says.

     "Yes, very.  Shiro, are you alright?" Allura asks, touching his shoulder again.  He doesn't seem bothered by the contact so she leaves her hand there.

     "I'm fine.  It's just the stupid bug that's going around the city this time of year," He waves her concerns away but she scowls at him, which he doesn't seem to notice.  "Speaking of time, aren't you here a little early?  Why aren't you at work?"

     "Shiro," she says, leveling him with a stern glare, "it's passed 1, probably closer to 1:15.  You've been sleeping the whole morning."

     He freezes and stares at her.

     "Is it?"

     "Yes."

     "Crap.  I'm gonna be late," He says, already moving to sit up and get out of bed.

     "On no you don't," She scolds him, moving her hand from his shoulder to his chest and pushing him right back into bed. "You're not going anywhere.  You're sick and you're staying in bed."

     "Allura, I understand you're trying to take care of me but-"

     "No buts.  I'll call in for you.  Shiro, you never take a day off.  You work yourself thin because you're dedicated to what you do but please be sensible.  You're sick, and I can't imagine you'd be able to give all of yourself like you normally do." Allure levels her gaze at him and points at his face.  "You're staying in bed."

     The room is silent, save for the fan, as they stare at each other.  It only breaks when Shiro drops his head back onto his pillow with a groan, his eyes closing.

     "Fine.  The number for the gym is on the fridge." She nods and stands up from the bed, moving to leave.  As she reaches the door, he speaks once again.

     "Allura?"

     "Yes Shiro?"

     "Thank you." She smiles over her shoulder at him as she leaves the bedroom, shutting the door behind her.

     Exhaling loudly, Allura makes a mental list in her head of what she needs to do for the day: call the gym, watch the kids, and take care of Shiro.  Easy.

* * *

 

     As it turns out, it is far easier to watch all of them than she had originally expected.

     Keith and Lance, who she didn't expect at all, seem to understand that Shiro needs to be cared for, correctly, and take charge of watching and keeping Pidge and Hunk occupied.  She's eternally grateful to the two ten year olds as they play peacefully and take turns with the two younger.  It allows her to focus more energy on making sure Shiro is comfortable and hydrated.  He's low maintenance and she doesn't have to do much to help him.  By the time she has to leave in order to get enough rest for her shift the next day, Shiro is up and moving around, although much slower than normal.  He sees her out, wrapped in a blanket, only Keith standing at his side, the others having been picked up by their parents.

     "I really can't thank you enough Allura." He says, smiling at her from his doorway across the hall.  She's standing in her doorway, blushing like a fool.

     "You don't have to.  it was nothing short of a pleasure... being able to help you."

     "If you say so.  We'll see you tomorrow?"

     "Of course you will.  Goodnight Keith, goodnight Shiro."

     "Goodnight Allura." They both say.  Keith turns back into the apartment and Shiro follows but not before smiling at her as he turns away.

     Allura does the same, walking into her apartment to mindlessly make her way to her bedroom.  As she collapses onto her bed, the vision that lulls her to sleep in the image of Shiro's smile.


	2. Under the Empty Lights

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Allura's never experienced a New York City power outage.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! Said I would be back! And with news! I'm opening up commissions for short little writings like this one here, and other fandoms too! This is a first time for me, so if you're interested you can message me on my tumblr, Dashboardjuliet or email me at dashboardcommissions@gmail.com! Anyways, enjoy!

     The entire city is in the process of flooding, or at least that's what it looks like to Allura. She watches the downpour from inside where she has pulled her old armchair up to the glass door that leads to her tiny patio. From her spot curled up in her chair, covered by a blanket from home, she watches as the rain falls. The small number of plants she keeps outside have already flooded, water overflowing from the clay pots. The poor things have no chance of drying out which means she'll have to start again on her pitiful attempts at keeping something alive.

     Despite it being such a dreary day, she cans till hear the ever constant traffic buzz that seems to be the steady pulse of the beast that is New York City. It's so different from home. Their infrastructure is built on the outside, on crops and selling wares in the many open markets. When it rains like this in Altea, especially in the capital city where she lived, things would just stop. Everyone would stay inside and wait for the rain to pass. Not in America it seems. Everyone always has someplace to be, every second of the day. It's days when she isn't caught up in the hustle and bustle of the city that allows her to think about how much she does miss Altea.

     Thinking of home reminds her that she's due to call her Father any day. It's been almost a month since she's spoken to him. Stretching her legs out from their cramped position underneath her, Allura stands from the chair, keeping the Altean blanket wrapped around her shoulders. Her landline phone sits on the small glass coffee table, and she picks it up, pressing the speed dial number for her Father's private line, and holds it up to her ear. The dial tone rings once, twice, three times before it cuts off and the line is picked up. Coran, her Father's aid, picks up with a bright and cheery 'hello' but before Allura is able to respond the line cuts out, and along with it, all sources of light in her apartment.

     Standing in the darkness, dead phone in hand, there is only one thing she can say.

     "Shoot."

* * *

 

     It takes her about twenty minutes to maneuver her dark apartment, led only by the small amount of light from outside and her phone flashlight, to gather all the candles she owns. They combine to make an overwhelming collection of scents that makes her scrunch her nose, but she can deal with the scent in return for the small pocket of light that has been created.

     She lays on her couch, watching the dancing shadows of the flames on the walls, accompanied by the steady rhythm of pouring rain. It's just calming enough to lull her into sleep again, but as her eyes close there is a knock at her door.

     There aren't many people that knock on her door, especially at... 8:09 in the morning, as she glances at her phone before peering out the peephole. The sight in the hallway makes her grin. Allura unlocks the deadbolt and unhooks the chain, opening the door to reveal Shiro and a bleary eyes Keith who, instead of saying hello, just yawns.

     "Hey guys," She says, opening the door to allow them to come in. Keith stumbles right past her to collapse on her small couch in from of the candles, snuggling in to her Altean blanket left on the cushions.

     "Keith was worried and wanted to come check on you." Shiro says, stepping inside her apartment to stand in the opening between the entryway and the living room.

     "M' did not." Allura can barely make out what Keith says with his head buried into a decorative pillow. She can catch the gist of it, and definitely catches the way Shiro's cheeks go just a shade darker. Under her smile, she knows that her cheeks probably did too.

     "We," Shiro clarifies, running his fingers through his hair, something she's noticed he's done before in awkward situations. "Both of us wanted to come check on you."

     "That's very sweet of you." She says quietly, aware that Keith has more than likely already fallen asleep. Motioning for him to follow her, she moves into the kitchen.

     "Do you want coffee? It isn't hot anymore but it's still warm." She asks, pulling two mugs from one of the cabinets. She doesn't get a verbal response but she knows Shiro isn't one to turn down coffee. He accepts the lukewarm cup she holds out to him, and then sets out to preparing her own cup just the way she likes it.  Two spoonfuls of honey and just a bit of sugar. Some would criticize her habits but Allura pays them no mind. Her sweet tooth controls her, and coffee is far too bitter by itself in her opinion.

     "This is your first New York blackout isn't it?" He speaks quietly, trying not to wake his brother.

     "I thought blackouts were city wide. Isn't this just a power outage?"

     "Nah. Guys at the gym say the power is out on this half of the city."

     "Then yes, I guess it is." She takes a sip of her coffee once she finishes speaking. The liquid is still warm enough to be almost bearable to drink.

     They stand together in the kitchen in silence for a few minutes, each periodically taking a sip of their coffee. He seems to be just watching her apartment, taking it all in. It's then that Allura realizes he has never actually set foot in her home, she's always just gone to his.

     "I have a question for you," Shiro says, breaking the easy silence between them, "and don't feel the need to answer if you don't want to. I'm just curious about something."

     In that moment, Allura feels open with him, the need to normally keep secrets hidden is gone. She nods him onward to ask his question.

     "How do you afford this place on a waitress salary? I mean, these aren't the nicest places but for someone living on their own and only working half a day, you're doing pretty good."  He finishes, speaking with a shrug. It takes her a few seconds to process the question, but her immediate response is a snort of laughter. It's not a ladylike behavior but it's always been a habit when she found something amusing.

     "Might I point out that you also only work half the day?" She snickers at the way he blushes, taking great delight in the fact that she has made him blush.

     "I do, but... Listen, I'm sorry-"

     "Shiro," She silences his stuttering with a smile, "I'm teasing you. You're fine. I'm not offended by anything you asked." The relief on his face is immediate. Setting her cup down on the counter, Allura hoists herself up to sit on the counter, a more comfortable position as opposed to standing.

     "To answer your question, I do have some help. Back home my family is quite well off. As much as I dislike it, my Father insists on helping me financially." Allura shrugs like her statement is no big deal, but to Shiro it must be because he freezes for a moment before softening again.

     "You don't talk about your home often." He points out, and she supposed he is right. She doesn't talk about Altea often, mostly because it makes her homesick, and by the off chance that someone is familiar with her home, far more likely to be discovered as the princess. It isn't that she's hiding from the role, but more that she just doesn't want it at the moment. Right now, she just wants to live freely, and being a princess doesn't allow her that freedom.

     "I suppose I don't." Allura says finally.

     "You must miss it."

     "Constantly."

     "What's it like?" It's such an innocent question that makes her grin like a child. What is Altea like?

     "It's a small coastal  country, mostly dependent on tourists and agriculture. Inland is rolling hills of green and forests, with large patches of land for crops. Not many live inland, save for farmers and the villages that sprout up around the farms," As soon as she begins talking, the city around her ceases to exist. All there is is Altea and her, and describing it comes as easy as breathing.  "We have a summer home in one of the villages, surrounded by fields of flowers grown for selling in the cities on the coast."

     "You have a summer home?" He asks, interrupting her thoughts. It brings her back to reality and lets her know that she's gotten carried away with sharing, and has let her privilege show.

     "It's nothing big," she clarifies, hoping to throw him off.  "Just a few rooms. We only spent the summer months there when the heat in unbearable. It's been years since I've seen it."

     "What do you miss most about it?" Her trick seems to have worked because he changes topics.

     "That's like asking me to choose which of the kids I like the most," she laughs, but thinks about his question before she answers.

     "I think what I miss most is the people. They just have a different lifestyle there. It's slower, takes its time. I miss the people.." Allure looks up as she finishes speaking, catching a glimpse of something she can't name on Shiro's face.

     But before she can ask 'what' there's a click, and the power comes back on. They break eye contact to watch the kitchen lights come to life again.

     "Well," Shiro coughs, " I better get Keith back home so he isn't drooling on your couch."

     "Yeah, um, I'll see you two out." Allura nods, following Shiro to the living room where he manages to pick Keith off her couch. He clutches her blanket around him, fist holding on tight. Shiro tries to wrestle it away from him but she just waves him off,mouthing that she'll get it later. Then they're gone out of her apartment, and she is left with a tightens in her chest and a longing for home.

     Returning to her arm chair, Allura picks up the discarded phone and dials her Father's number.

     "Coran, it's Allura. Can I speak to my Father? Thank you..."

     "Hi Papa..."


End file.
